Roll up, roll up! Here's why Pom Pom the giant panda was outside the Benn Hall, and here's when he's coming back

Peter Rowell, chief laughter maker and Cartoon Circus controller, said: "It's a fun-filled family show for the half-term holidays.

"We come to town every other year and this will be our fourth visit to Rugby - we're back by popular demand."

The circus has been running for 30 years, touring across Britain and winning fans through generations.

"We're now having people who came to see us as children decades ago bring their kids along," Mr Rowell said.

"A few weeks ago a woman came up to me with her baby in a pushchair and she said that she'd been taken along to see one of our shows when she was a baby."

Mr Rowell said he estimates the circus has been responsible for tens of thousands of giggles over the last three decades.

Among the features of the 80-minute show are clowns, illusionists, diablos, and a contortionist who fits herself into a bottle.

But arguably the star of the show is Pom Pom the 12-foot-tall panda.

The Pom Pom costume was specially made in Russia.

Pom Pom achieves his impressive height with the aid of an air compressor integrated into the costume.

"People love it - wherever Pom Pom goes you get smiles and waves from grown ups and children," Mr Rowell said.

And when the Advertiser met Pom Pom outside the Benn Hall for a picture, passers by of all ages were fascinated.

Cartoon Circus Live appears at Benn Hall on Friday February 21 at 1.30pm.

Tickets are £5 for groups of ten or more and £7 otherwise.

To book, call the box office on 07906 854269.